Silva urges Everton players to forget VAR frustrations and focus on Watford

Posted Tuesday, October 29, 2019 by PA

Everton boss Marco Silva has urged his players to move on from the perceived injustice of their dramatic defeat at Brighton and focus on securing Carabao Cup progression.

Silva admitted his players were left dejected in the immediate aftermath of Saturday’s 3-2 loss on the south coast after controversially becoming the first Premier League club to concede a penalty awarded by VAR.

The Portuguese coach has been given little time to lift his team and will be keen for a swift response when his former club Watford visit Goodison Park for the fourth-round tie on Tuesday evening.

“The next game is a different competition and if we have a goal, an ambition to go until the end, to the final, we have to win,” said Silva, speaking after being beaten at the Amex Stadium.

“It is our obligation (to lift the players), we have to. Of course, the mood is really low. It is difficult for a football team when we felt we did a big effort, we did everything that we should do.

“For them (the players), it is really difficult to understand why it happened against us but you have to respect the decision, you have to keep going.”

Everton, leading 2-1, were on course for a first league away win since March when Michael Keane was penalised for inadvertently stepping on the foot of Brighton forward Aaron Connolly following VAR intervention.

Silva, who saw Neal Maupay’s penalty equaliser compounded by a stoppage-time own goal from Lucas Digne, criticised the inconsistency of the match officials after Richarlison was not given a spot-kick for a pull by Martin Montoya.

In addition to the morale-sapping defeat in Sussex, preparation for the Watford clash has been hit by the serious injury suffered by Bernard.

Scans have shown the Brazilian winger suffered ligament damage to his right knee against the Seagulls and will be unavailable for the foreseeable future.

Centre-back Yerry Mina could return to contention after missing out at the weekend with a minor knee issue.

Watford manager Quique Sanchez Flores does not believe a victory would have a big effect on their league form.

The Hornets are the only team in the Football League without a league win this season, but have reached the last 16 after seeing off Coventry and Swansea.

Another win on Tuesday would move last season’s FA Cup runners-up a step closer to another Wembley final, but Flores does not believe that will provide a boost for Watford in their battle for Premier League survival.

He said: “What we want is a win. To win is always important, but what we realise is when we won in Swansea, it didn’t affect what happened in the league because we didn’t win the next one.

“It’s different competitions, different line-ups, different goals. So to win tomorrow is important again but it’s nothing concerned about what is happening in the league. It is a completely different scenario.”

Watford have kept clean sheets in two of their last three matches – all which have ended in draws – but they remain rooted to the bottom of the Premier League table.

Flores added: “We need to get in the right direction, and the right direction is slow, it should be slow, this is the only thing I know.

“If we lose the patience and we try to rush too much, we are not ready to rush too much, so the way will be slow, will be difficult.

“But experience says we need to be harder and we need to work really for a long time if we want to change this situation.”